The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-06-10
Mrs. Lovelook's Trunk,
A GOOD woNAS's TRYING EXPERIENCE
WITH A souLLEss CORPORATION.


WITH A souLLEss CORPORATION.
The claim agent of the Brass Bound
Railroad Company sat in his Office. his
desk piled high with correspondence.
He had disposed Of sixteen claims for
cows killed, thirteen sheep claims and
several personal injuries the
usual daily average of sccidents-when
the ofiice-door opened, and tall, an
gular woman entered.
"Be you the claim agenti' she de-
manded, with a voice which sounded
like cross between a buzz-saw and a
steam whistle.
81 be" responded that official, brief
ly.
IL come up here to git pay for the
trunk lost in the Coon Creek collis-
ion
There had been bad smash.up on
the road a few weeks before, AMI this
was one of the claims gro ~ing out of it
which remained unadiusted.
"What is your namef" asked the
agent.
"Mrs. Lovelock, of Geneva" she re-
piled.
"Ah, yes" said the claim-agent, 81
remember now. How much do YOU
think your trunk was worth, Mrs. Love
lock
"Well, l dunno exactly, tut shd
think absout two hundred dollars
would be nigh the value of 1t, and
wouldn't want you should pay any
more'n n it was worth"
That's pretty Steep" mused the
claim-agent, looking at his note. book.
''Let's see how you make il. What
was the trunk itself worth, for in
stance ~
"Well, it was a fine large, new
trunk, an l had Jest paid fifteen dol
lars for it before | started
The claim-agent made note of the
fifteen dollars. "Well, what was in
the trunk = he asked.
'Lemme see--there was my best
Sunday dress-a black silk-the ma.
terial in it cost twenty-five dollars, an
the maxim ten-that makes thirty-fve.
Then there was an alpaca dress, worth
about fifteen dollars, an new bunnit
l had just paid fifteen dollars for
The claim agent kept track of the
items. THAT makes seventy-eight
dollars now what else p
"Well,' she said, 'there was con-
sid'able other clothin'."
"What was that worth ?"
81 dunno exactly, but l guess about
fifty dollars"
"Well, what else now?"
Her memory seemed to fail her at
this point, but after moment she con-
tinued: "There was about seventy.five
dollars worth o jewelry in The trunk
That makes something over two
hundred dollars" said the claim-agent.
swell" she said, magnanimously
81 don't want to be hard on the
comp'ny, so we'll call it Jest an even
two hundred
Trunk have any marks on it p
asked the claim. agent, casually.
at had kyard with my name on
it, she answered.
SCOT the check T.
She produced it.
"Seems to me you are a little hard
on us, said the claim-agent "Don't
you think you could reduce the amount
little 7"
"No, sir" she said, san if you don t
pay, I'll sue"
'Sorry to go to law with you, maam,
but we won't pay that claim"
She founced out of her chair and
started for the door.
''Wait a minute said the claim.
agent soothingly. 81 guess we car
make some arrangement"
She sat down again, and the claim
agent stepped out into the hall. When
he came back porter followed him
bringing under one arm a small, vel
low trunk, tied about with rope, and
somewhat the worse for wear. 1t could
have been bought anywhere for a dol
lar and half. The claim agent looked
at the card and compared the checks
"ls that your trunk 7" he asked.
Hel face was red as beet, as she
acknowledged, with very bad grace, tha
it was.
''The trunk hasn't been hurt at all,
said the claim agent, except by the
wetting it got when the baggsge-cal
fell into the creek. If you've got ths
key here, wen open it, and see wha
the damage was"
"l-lve-lost the key" she STAN
mered.
"Oh, well, then, we'll break it open.
said the claim agent, cheerfully.
''Oh, no, don't do that" she remon
strated. "It-it-ain't nv trunk
borrered it from my sister, an sh
wouldn't like that should break tn
lock. I'd ruther take less money!
~ guess you could" said the claim
agent, with chuckle. 81 amt beeI
claim-agent on this road for five year
without meeting lots of people like you
Well give you fifteen dollars for wha
damage the water may have done II
your baggage-or I'll open the trunk
and you can bring your lawsuit"
"Ill take the fifteen dollars" sh
replied. quickly, but snappishly. Anc
when she had got the money and sign
ed receipt, she relieved her mind b,
saying, as she left the office:
81 wouldn't thought rich comp'n
like this would insult lady that way
But all men amt gentlemen, an COZ
porations amt got no souls nohow."-
Charles W. Chestnut, in It'd Bits.